


Play The Piano.

by LoudandDangerous



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: 1950s, 1950s Slang, Alternate Universe - 1950s, Alternate Universe - High School, Leather Jackets, M/M, Meet-Cute, More tags as I go, Period-Typical Homophobia, Piano, Sock Hops, Soda Fountains, Why are there no 1950's AU's?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 13:42:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4879036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudandDangerous/pseuds/LoudandDangerous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh sips his chocolate milkshake and eyes the piano in the corner that nobody ever plays. When a brunet plays a song called 'Not Today' on the piano or the first time and catches Josh's heart, a redhead named Debby advises him to join a club for the other kids in the town like him.</p><p>The outcasts and homosexuals.</p><p> </p><p>Or, The AU where Josh and Tyler start a gay revolution in the 1950's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Play The Piano.

**Author's Note:**

> I use a lot of 1950's slang in this so I'll include a key send a link to a slang dictionary.
> 
> Jenna is a paper shaker, or a cheerleader. 
> 
> I think the rest are clear but here's the dictionary if it's not.
> 
> An apothecary is a pharmacist and so on.
> 
> http://fiftiesweb.com/pop/1950s-slang/

Beebe's Soda Fountain is where Josh spends most of his time. This was where girls in poodle skirts went after sock hops and boys in leather jackets went smoking and cruisin' for a bruisin'. Josh too, owns a leather jacket but he does not smoke or go looking for trouble. He was simply told that it stops you from getting picked on and at any cost, Josh would love to avoid trouble. This jacket, of course, has downfalls.

 

It attracts ladies.

 

They sit in Josh's booth uninvited and stare into his brown with their own. He could care less about their skirts, whipped ponytails and cherry red lipstick. Instead, he pays attention to the piano in the corner by the jukebox. Nobody plays the piano and this aggravates Josh. He wishes he could play the piano. The way each key has a separate part and sound and when played rapidly, they melt into each other to make oh so beautiful music, Josh thinks. The keys and the black and white simplicity make Josh want to jump and shout with pleasure. But he does not know how to play the piano and nobody plays it for him. So he sits without the beautiful sound and sips his milkshake. He orders a milkshake and fries every time and shoves fries in his mouth when the ladies start conversations with him.

 

He is often uninterested and when they ask if he has a gal, he flatly replies with ''Nope."

 

This response is greeted with them asking him out and after he replies, they throw a hissy and tell their older brothers to beat up Josh. They accuse him of being a 'pansy' and while they punch him, laugh when they ask if Josh wants to date them instead. Josh is sassy, and this gets him in trouble often. ''No. I do not want to date you, you're far too ugly for my taste." He smirks with his busted lip and braces for another blow. 

 

''Serves you right, damn greaser." They spit on Josh and leave.

 

Now, Josh sits tired in the soda fountain, sipping his milkshake and he almost chokes on it when he sees someone sit at the piano. He wears a white dress shirt, grey suspenders, jeans and has brunet hair that falls over his forehead. Josh wants to thank this mystery man for playing the piano and listens intently.

 

''This song is called 'Not Today'.'' He announces to anyone who will listen. ''I don't why, I just feel I'm better off, staying in the same room I was born in…'' He begins.

 

Josh listens like a smitten kitten when the brunet begins the melody. It's a different sound, Josh loves it.

 

"This song's a contradiction 'cause of how happy it sounds. But the lyrics are so down.'' 

 

He taps his feet and listens to the keys melt together in a perfect harmony with the brunet's voice. It feels like orange and bright red, lots of yellow. Bucketloads of yellow! It's happy, the melody at least. The lyrics are blue, grey, purple and some of it sounds like pink. Josh is loving the brunet's voice, words…

 

Until a redhead sits beside Josh with a vanilla milkshake in her hands and perky look upon her face.

 

Her ponytail is curled and tied with a big black ribbon, she wears pink circle sunglasses on her head and she smiles sweetly at Josh. Josh wants to hear the music, not the brood sitting before him.

 

''Where's your gal?" She asks and Josh has heard this all too often.

 

''Don't have one."

 

The redhead inches closer to Josh on the foam vinyl of the booth seat and puts her hand over Josh's. ''What if I were your gal?"

 

''I don't even know your name!'' Josh cries out, trying to hear the brunet's words. He cannot hear much over the redhead's chatter but can make out ''Heard you say, Not Today…..''

 

''My name is Debby!" She announces happily.

 

''Okay, Debby. We just met and --'' Josh is interrupted by the brunet's shouting and even shouting, the brunet sounds beautiful.

 

''DON'T YOU TEST ME THOUGH! JUST BECAUSE I PLAY THE PIANO! DOESN'T MEAN I--I'M NOT WILLING TO TAKE YOU DOWN!" He stares at the patrons staring in confusion. ''I'm sorry." 

 

Josh is watching intently, not paying a lick of attention to Debby. ''What's got you worked up? That drag on the piano?" She stares skeptically.

 

''I like the song, I just want to hear it." He says, praying she does not have an older brother. She smirks.

 

''You're Josh. Your father works at the apothecary up the town. I know that look, you like the piano man." Josh swallows hard as Debby tosses her sunglasses under the table. "It's okay. I have a girlfriend, her name is Jenna and good gosh, she is a hoot!'' She opens her purse and writes something on a Beebe's Soda Fountain napkin. "It's a club for the homosexuals of the town.'' She whispers. 

 

''How'd you know I like him?" Josh questions. 

 

''That look. That's the way I look at Jenna." She whispers.

 

They sit back up at the table and Josh listens to the end of the brunet's song. ''Heard you say! NOT TODAY! Tore the curtains down, windows open now, make a sound!" He shouts out.

 

''He's Tyler." Debby leans in the whisper in Josh's ear. 

 

''Why'd you hit on me if you have Jenna? How do you know he's--''

 

''He's got a boyfriend…and also I wanted to test my theory." Debby snickers as Tyler gets up from the piano bench and trips. Josh races up to assist him.

 

''You okay? That was a pretty bitchin' fall.'' He laughs quietly. Tyler takes his hand and gets up, brushing himself off and thanking Josh.

 

"GO GET 'EM TIGER!" Debby stands up and shouts at Josh. His cheeks redden as he begins stuttering.

 

''I liked your song." Josh perks up with a smile. Now it Tyler's turn to blush, he runs a hand through his hair shyly and thanks Josh once again.

 

''See you around." Tyler smiles.

 

Josh waves good-bye and sees Tyler leave through the door.

 

''It's official. You two are dating." Debby is applying lipstick in her compact mirror. ''I've gotta go meet Jenna behind the apothecary. She's got a paper shaker meeting today!" Debby saunters out of the soda fountain and Josh is left with the napkin and Tyler's tune in his head.


End file.
